


Checkmate

by Comedia



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Bones is not amused, M/M, because Kirk thought challenging Scotty was a good idea, oh and there's a drinking game going on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-07
Updated: 2013-07-07
Packaged: 2017-12-17 22:59:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/872937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comedia/pseuds/Comedia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The recreation room is brimming with activity, and in the midst of laughter and stupid ideas Pavel and Hikaru are playing a game of chess. One thing leads to another, and by the time the game is over Pavel has invited himself to Hikaru's quarters. Again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Checkmate

**Author's Note:**

> Story for [Nat](http://spacefeels.tumblr.com/)! This was so much fun, thanks for the prompt <3

"You won't beat me. The best chess players come from Russia, it's in our blood." 

And for once Pavel isn't all bullshit. Not that Hikaru actually can admit that, but still. "It's a shame you don't use your blood to play then."

There's a laugh from a nearby table that may have nothing to do with them, but Hikaru would like to think that the crew appreciates his sense of humor – or well, more crew members than the infuriating, curly haired bastard in front of him.

It's one of those days when the recreation room is brimming with activity, and people from high-command are spending time with the ensigns. In a dark corner of the room the Captain has thought of the bright idea to challenge Scotty to a drinking game. There's some continuous giggling going on as they're trying to stand up straight – Kirk obviously more wasted than the engineer – while getting ready for another round of Romulan Ale pong. 

Hikaru is pretty certain that that particular brand of alcohol is banned, or at least questionable, but he definitely won't be the one to bring it up. For a while he was hoping Bones would say something, but the doctor has been observing them for half an hour with a murderous glare, and he's made no move to stop the unhealthy drinking. Hikaru suspects that he secretly enjoys it, and only feels the need to look enraged every waking moment for appearances sake. There's a bet going on that McCoy is actually a cuddly unicorn on the inside – half the crew is in on it but they haven't found a way to test him. Yet. 

Pavel kicks him hard under the table; the kid is without mercy. "Your turn. I will have you in three moves."

Hikaru snorts and moves his rook while paying minimal attention to the board. "I honestly doubt you'll have me that easy."

Pavel doesn't reply at once, but he looks outright gleeful as he stares at the chess pieces. If Hikaru is to be honest there's a single reason for why he keeps playing chess in his spare time. The game has never interested him much, but then he happened to meet this energetic ensign with a thick accent; he's as smart as he's annoying, and when he's excited he gets a certain gleam in his eyes. Hikaru has found that he'd do anything to see that excitement and joy. He only realized how absolutely gone he was when he got back to his quarters one night only to realize that several of his plants were sickly, and anything that can make him forget about his babies for even a second is a pretty big deal. 

Pavel takes his queen in the next move – with a pawn of all things – and smiles triumphantly. "I never said it'd be easy. All I said was I'd get there in the end."

Excited shouting erupts as the Captain falls over during the new round of ale pong, and when Hikaru turns to them Scotty is basically lying on the table howling with laughter. Bones looks like he's considering leaving Kirk on the floor.

Eventually he grunts and lends him a hand, muttering "seems like you've had a wee much there, lad" in the driest tone possible, as he helps the Captain to stand. The words are enough to send Scotty into another fit of laughter. The man is clutching his chest as if he’s about to die, saying something indistinguishable in Scottish while giggling like a five year old. It’s good to know that these people run the ship. It makes Hikaru feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

He realizes he's been staring for way too long, but when he turns back to the board he isn't scolded. Instead Pavel is looking at him like he's a challenging math-related enigma, and it makes him feel like he's being surveyed with x-ray vision. He quickly makes a move, only to have Pavel cackle with laughter.

"Ah yes, surrender to Mother Russia!"

"You're literally a stereotype, you know that, right?" But Hikaru knows that Pavel knows. Once he'd realized the rumors going around about the Russian kid, he'd amped up his mannerisms simply to see how far he could take the gimmick. 

Sometimes they'll spend the evenings making up Russian facts, and other days Pavel will tell him genuine stories about his homeland. It's those kinds of things that made Hikaru feel comfortable about introducing the kid to his plants. He's used to people thinking he has very specific and odd interests; they’ll turn to him with a polite smile and say “oh, that’s nice”. Pavel didn’t do anything of the sort. Instead he studied them all in detail and asked if Hikaru had named them (and he also made a remark that he was sure he'd seen the pretty pink one in his Russian hometown, despite the fact that Hikaru's entire collection is from alien worlds). 

It took a while to realize, but he definitely has a kindred spirit in Pavel Chekov. They may love different things, but no matter their interests they share the same passion; they're partners in obsessive dorkery.

He spends minutes stubbornly studying the board, despite the fact that he wasn’t focused on the game at all. More than anything it’s a charade, as if to silently say that he cares very much about the outcome and that he’s frankly insulted to be beaten.

Only when Hikaru has put on a show of sighing deeply and accepting his defeat can they leave the recreation room. As the doors close behind them there's the muffled sound of Scottish folksong and Bones cursing in the distance; who knew that the sound of family would ever be so dysfunctional?

Reaching the endless rows of quarters Pavel spins around, fast enough to almost make it a clumsy pirouette rather than an elegant turn on the spot.

"Can I meet you at your quarters in a while? I have something to show you." It's the first time in months he's asked for permission to visit. Normally he'll just barge in, no matter if Hikaru is awake or enjoying a well-deserved sleep.

"Sure." He's hesitating as he says the word, narrowing his eyes when his answer is met with a bright grin. It's the feeling of knowingly walking into a trap, but it's too late now.

The last thing he expects is for Pavel to show up at his door with a giant terrarium in his arms. It holds a plant with tall, blue, rock-like spikes. The plant seems to be naturally luminescent, and gives off a slight singing noise. When Pavel places it on the table it's reflected in the polished surface.

"What is this?"

Pavel is basically bursting with excitement "I got it during shore leave! I have no idea what it is!"

Hikaru can actually feel his jaw drop. "You don't know?"

"Why would I? I'm not the botanist geek. But I thought, you're always so obsessive about using the already assigned names. I wanted to give you something you could make up a name for." Pavel stops talking for a moment and looks almost sheepish. "I didn't give it to you right away because I had to make sure it didn't give off poisonous gas, or was some kind of carnivore that only came to life when it felt unthreatened, so I slept with it beside my bed for a week. It seems harmless."

And there's nothing to say to that. For a moment Hikaru wishes he was Bones, with the stare and the rage and the threatening authority. My god man, why would you keep something potentially dangerous next to your bed?

Pavel claps his hands in a "I may be way past seventeen but my inner child definitely isn't" kind of way, and looks expectantly at him. "What will you call it?"

It's about time that Hikaru snap out of it and actually say something, so after considering his options for a moment he smiles. "Chekov, of course."

"That's good." Pavel lights up completely, brighter than any warp core Hikaru’s ever seen. "That's really good, because I didn't mention it, but it's actually from Russia."

"Oh, I'm certain it is." It's not really that he plans to kiss Chekov; it just happens, because what else is there to do? The dark curls are soft against his fingertips, and Pavel is as energetic about kissing as he is about everything in life; soft lips, curling tongue and the teasing sharpness of teeth. Despite this being a first for them, the taste is oddly like home, and Hikaru can't help but think he fits perfectly with Pavel's hands on his hips.

When Pavel eventually pulls away a little and rests his head on Hikaru's chest, it's like an almost innocent gesture. However, Hikaru knows better; he can feel the quiet laughter clearly in warm puffs of breath and the slight shaking of his shoulders.

"I knew you'd be a sucker for gifts."

Hikaru pats him on the pack at that, hard enough to make Pavel cough in protest. "Are you saying I'm easy?"

And big, brown eyes turn to him, with a teasing look but also so much more than that. "You're anything but. I don't think I've waited this long for anything in my life. But I knew I'd have you eventually."

He should feel a lot more cheesy about placing a kiss on Pavel's forehead, he really should, but since they’re quoting their own awkward flirting to each-other it seems appropriate more than anything else. 

"Yeah, I guess we both knew that."


End file.
